Page 38 - September1951

308 NATIONAL BUTTON BULLETIN September, 1951

THE BUTTON BOOKSHELF
By BESS T. WILSON
GOOT'IES
Goofies By E. Packard of Tacoma, Washington.
Set and No'-Set 'fhis booklet is as clever and different from other
Rook r
44 pages 3:i.u'ili,3i"3i;.'i",,l"ll%T,,:'r",Jii31T;li,i"i,i""t"TiJ"
photographs, on glazed paper,-there is not an extra word
alL x |lL of explanation. 'Ihe inside of the front cover carries the
index, which is completed on the inside of the back cover.
From Donald Duck to the Eagle bearing U. S. N. buttons, they greet
the reader whimsically and daintily and give one an insight into the button
eollecting years hence as well as of today.
I would estimate that three hundred illustrations tell the choice of
pre-teenagers and constitute a running commentary on the manifold interests
of the young and their mothers. Doubtless father created designs and molds
as well as the plastics, so these little Goofies-I prefer to call them Realis-
tics-are bits of American famlly affairs.
If you buy the book, you will buy the buttons, when and if you can
find them. If you have the buttons you will buy the book from Mrs. George
L. Packard, 825 S. 98th St., Tacoma 4, Washington. Price 91.00. (See
p. 330).
IDENTITIES AND SUGGESTIONS
To Mrs. Esther Woodard of Orlando, F lorida, I am indebted fol iden-
tifying a scene on a button of mine which was shown on page 170 of the
March 1947 National BULLETIN, and sold to me as "A Castle by the Sea."
NIrs. Woodard writes that the design on this button was taken from an etch-
ing by CaUot (1592-1655) of Le Tour de Nesle on the banks of the Seine
in Paris. This was found in a rare first editiou on "Etchings and Etchers"
by Philip lfammerton, published. in 1868. Beyond the Tour de Nesle are
the towers of Notre Dame in the distance, the Pont Neuf and several church
steeples. The distant view of P'aris is beautiful and the distances carefully
pleserved. This etching has great historical and topographical interest and
its value as a record of Paris in Callot's time is invaluable. The button is a
true copy of the central portion of the etching showing the tower and a small
section of the bridge on each side. It is of cut-out brass, mounted on pearl
with only a few figures shown in the boats and two on the shore. These
are so small in detail that a glass is necessary to distinguish them clearly.
Through this lovely button v'e ar'e taken back to the history and times of
the 16th century. Thank you, Mrs. Woodard for sharing this information
with your button friends.
Another button of historical intelest which has come to my attention
recently is the one depicting the Garden of Karnak. Did you know that
this garden is one of the very lirst of which there is any record? It was
planned by Nekht as were also the Royal gardens of Throtmes III and the
time given about 1000 B. C. The button artists gathered their designs from
great distances. They all have an interesting signilicance and our pleasure
comes in finding out what they are.
I know you are all busy looking ovet the 1951 Classification given in
the May BULLETIN. In spite of effort for clarity, many questions arise.
First: what can be included in Section 3A, Class 43, opaque? There are
many types of opaque such as, colored opaque (at one time called colored
milk glass), those with flower inlay, wit,h cane inlay, with surface design
and swirl backs. Perhaps there are others but they are easily recognized
and used of course. As there is o[ly one class designated for opaques, it
follows that in Mrs. Kalill's special award for opaques, assorted all types are
acceptable here, except black glass. The best trays will have a fair represen-